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Jessica Hume, National Bureau

May 26, 2014

, Last Updated: 10:00 AM ET

OTTAWA - A Tory MP who is in Ukraine as an election observer says he isn't aware of any instances of violence against his colleagues and that higher numbers of voters turned out despite intimidation ahead of the Sunday vote.

Speaking from Kharkiv, James Bezan told reporters that all observer mission delegates would meet Monday in Kiev to "compare notes." He wouldn't have a clear overall picture of how the election went until the observers' report is made.

Billionaire Petro Poroshenko claimed Ukraine's presidency after exit polls gave him an absolute majority in a first round of voting and, vowing to end a conflict with pro-Russian rebels, he pledged to align his country with Europe.

Exit polls gave Poroshenko, 48, a confectionery magnate with long experience in government, more than 55% of the vote, well ahead of former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko in second place with just over 12%. If confirmed by results on Monday, there will be no need for a runoff vote June 15.

Bezan said despite reports of kidnappings and violence against media, demonstrations by both pro-Ukrainian and pro-Russian groups over the weekend were largely peaceful.

"I didn't see intimidation tactics here," Bezan said, referring to his location in the northeast of the country, 30km from the Russian border.

Bezan indicated he was heartened by high voter turnout.

"There was great turnout in some parts of Kiev and there was consistent, steady voting here," he told reporters. "I think the results will show significant participation."

Two polling stations in the more troubled eastern regions of Ukraine did not function as a result of agitation by pro-Russian supporters who crossed the border ahead of the votes, Bezan said.

He said arrangements were made by the Ukrainian government to establish alternate polling stations for voters there.

Observers and members of Ukrainian civil society went through individual polling stations throughout the day to ensure ballot boxes weren't being stuffed and voters weren't being prevented from casting ballots, Bezan said.

Meanwhile, Ukrainians, weary of six months of political turmoil, hope their new president will be able to pull their country of 45 million people back from the brink of bankruptcy, dismemberment and civil war that prevented voting in parts of the Russian-speaking east of the country.

"All the polls show that the election has been completed in one round and the country has a new president," Poroshenko told a news conference. His businesses have earned him a fortune of over $1 billion and the nickname the "Chocolate King."

At his campaign headquarters, he told supporters the majority of Ukrainians had given him a mandate to continue a course of integration with the rest of Europe but said his first priority was to travel to the east of the country to end "war and chaos" caused by armed pro-Russian separatists there.